Traction wheel



. TRACTION WHEEL. /IPPLIcATIo'II FILED IuNE 9, 1919.

z SHEETS-suse; I.

2 SHEETS-SHEvET 2.

L. E; SLAUSQN. TRACTION WHEEL APRLlATloN man lune' 9, 1919.

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Dec. 26, 1922.

Patented Dec. 26, i922.

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Leurs nsLAUsou'or Roon rsmiiv'n, rnnrnors, seremos ro Gein-morren@ f COMPANY, oir ROCK ISLAND; immers.

' TRACTION 'VVHEEL` Application y'led June 9, 1919. SerialNo. 302,680#

To all whom t may coiioei'f-n: d

h Be it l-znown that l, Louis E. SLaUsoN, a Citizen oiV the United States, residing at Rock island, in the county oit Roch island and State ot' illinois, have invented certain,

new and useful improvements 'inwlraction Wheels, of which vthe following is a specification.

The priinary object of thisr invention is to convert au` ordinary sinooth riin wheel into a traction wheel bythe application uiereon in a novel manner oli a plurality oi' ed on the rini oli' the wheelthat as the wheel revolves they will automatically adjust -theinselves in proper position roriforward or reverse travel to lay a sinooth and practically unbroken tra-ek over rwhich the i'i'in of the wheel t avels smoothly andevenly and without slippage.

An especially important feature of the vinvention is the provision of lined ineans ou the riiii ot the vlieel iorpositively controlling; the movement of the shoe, which is loosely hung); on the riin and is movable relatively thereto, so that the shoes will be laid down upon the ground substantially liaftwise and si iilarly elevat-id -i'roin' the ground,v causing' only a limited disturbance of the surface over which the wheel travels,` and so that before the rim rolls olii of 'one shoe in its travel'tlie next adjacent shoe positioned n upon f the I vground to receive it, whereby atrack sec` 'tional in forni but continuous in eii'fect is will be properly constantly provided upon which the rini or" the wheel may travel in either direction.

Another object of the'in'vention is to provide a wheelnwith track laying` shoes which ground such as a plowedield, which at- 'toets the crops to a inore or less extent and is so seriously obgeeted to by farmers;

Further objects ot the inventionare to provide a tiaetionfshoe ot simple torni and .ronstrui-ition which can be produced at low cost as a one-piece eastinp` and easilj.`v appiied to wheel riiu so that notwithstanding they are independently movable relatively to the riiii and to each other they will always be present-ed atwise to the ground surface iii regular spaeed position to Ytorni a 'track `tween the rini and theshoe Yshoe in traveling viderthe shoe with cross-bars of novel conv-` struction spaced. apart eurfaceand which will enter and leave sott `srrouiid without materially injuring the sur-i- 'face and `Without causingany lateral 'shii't-y traction shoes so constructed and so vnioun'twithout sinking deeplytherein. y

rllieinvention has other vobjects rin View incidental to the primary objectl wheel wheel and provide therefor a track on which packing oi' softr shown in Fig. GQ

an ordinary vehiele wheel; to

ot a iiioiint the shoes in such a niaiiiier on the `witl 'generali upon which the rini travels smoothly and evenly; tov provide intereiigagingparts bei which will insure proper positioning` or the shoes and whiehwill also operatetoy free the shoe troni any clods wliichinay adhere to the over softground; to proto engage the ground iup of the earth between-the cross-bar inarks the 'ng and to construct ythe shoe'so that the 'wheelniay travel over hard pavements without injury thereto :and over soft ground which are oi providing parts of simple construction which can be easily appliedto the rini of a to convert the wheel into a traction the riin 'travels continuously Without jar# y ring or jolting, which ineidental objects will 'appear hereafter in the detail description.

in the accompanying drawings have il` lustrated my invention in several :i'iorius which I have found to be satisfactory iii actual use, aiid'refering thereto: f

Fig'. lis an elevation', partly in section, of a traction wheel eni'bodying;` the invention in what' l now consioer a- `preferred form. Fig'. 2 is a perspective view of a slice shown in Fig. l. l

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3+?) of Figfl..

Figi l is a perspective view and Fig. 5 a longitudinal sectional ,view of anotherforin of shoe. i

Fig. G' isa sectional view slices of another form.

Fig. is.y a perspective view of the showing severa-l shoe Fig: ,tl is a transverse sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 6. l f 'f Figi'. 9 is a longitudinal see-tional view shoe which is especially'adaptedfor soil ia loose or sandy top. Alieier-ring*to thedrawings 10 designates a inetal `wheel' wliiehiiiay be of any usual.constructionv provided Witha riiii.

.lt is custoniaryin sonierasesto equip` tracl tion wheels with lugs, Cleats or similar vices permanently fastened to the rim by bolts passing therethrough, and in other cases provision is made to attach some form of detachable lugs to the rim whenever the wheel is used for travel on soft ground, as in plowing. My invention is adapted to be applied to old wheels as well as to new wheels and l contemplate that wheel manufacturers in the future will punch the rims of their wheels so that my invention maybe applied to the rims by the tractor manufacturer or by the purchaser as and when desired. And while the i vention may be readily removed from the wheel if no longer required l particularly direct attention to the fact that this is not necessary for travel on khard pavements or road beds, as it is with some of the devices which are detachably applied to traction wheels, because the shoes will not dig into or otherwise injure a hard surface since ,they have no lateral movement on the surface.

`A plurality of teeth i2 are bolted, riveted and otherwise securely fastened to the riin in pairs at spaced intervals. Theseteeth are shorter than the width of the riin and they are located centrally ofthe rim as shown in Fig. ln 4kthe form shown in Figs. 1, 3 each tooth has a base 13, curved sides 14:

and recessed ends 15, forming in effect a hollow tooth having a substantially flat base to engage the rim and two longitudinal prongs formed' by the curved sides. This tooth may be made of cast steel, chilled iron, or any other suitable material. ln the form illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 the tooth is c st with two hollow prongs 16, 16', the general shape being substantially the same as that of the form shown in Figs. 1, 3 but somewhat heavier.

At spaced intervals determined by the pairs of teeth traction shoes are loosely mounted on the face of the rim by means on each shoe located at the back of the rim between the teeth of each pair. Each shoe is preferably a one-piece steel casting but it can be cast in parts suitablv assembled, or made of any other material, or it may be fabricated if so desired. The shoes are all made alilre, in grid or skeleton form, and each comprises parallel sides 17, inwardly directed parallel traclr flanges 18, end ground engaging cross-bars 19, and a middle ground engaging cross-bar 20 with openings between the bars. The sides are cut out at 21 between the cross-bars, and the flanges 18 eirtend inwardly closely adjacent to the ends of the teeth. (Fig. The cross-bars of Figs. 1 3 are of a single thickness and eX- tend perpendicular to the flanges and they may extend continuously across from side to side of the shoes or they may be out away at the center as shown at Q2 Figs. :2, 3. Each end cross-bar has at its top and on the inner side thereof an inwardly inclined rto the rim.

shoe.

bearing flange 23, and similarly located at each side of the middle cross-bar there is an outwardly inclinedl bearing flange 2e, these bearing flanges being arranged and inclined to engage and be engaged by the teeth in or about in the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

The sides of the shoe extend above the trac-lr flanges 18 sufficiently to enclose the side edges of the rim 11, and one side is provided with an integral hook or lip 25 and the other side is provided with a lug 26 bored and `threaded to receive a` bolt 27. The hook and the bolt are disposed opposite eac/h other and are spaced from the traclr flanges sufliciently to loosely connect the shoe withl the rim so that the shoe will have a considerable play or movement relative The middle cross-bar of the shoe is located between tlieteeth of a pair and he parts are so proportioned that the shoe will have the desired amount of loose play relative to the rim so that each shoe may shift its position by gravity as the wheel revolves as indicated in Fig. 1. Since the shoes are loose and shift by gravity they may not always assume the enact position indicated and this should be understood in examining F l. Thus the shoe is freely movable within certain fined limits on the rim and is induced to move gravity and by the engagement of the teeth and bearing flanges so that each shoe will be presented in a. substantially horizontal position to the surface over which the wheel travels, and will be picked up in a substantially horizontal position from said surface after the radial center of the wheel has passed thereover. i

The shoes illustrated in Figs. 4l--9 are made to be loosely connected to the rim of the wheel to move freely relative thereto in all substantial respects as heretofore described. They differ in construction from the shoe heretofore described but the principle of the operation is the same.

Referring to Figs. f1- and 5 the hoolr or lip 28 is somewhat wider than that shown in Figs. 1 3, and the end ground engaging crossbars 29 are outwardly inclined or curved, while the middle ground engaging cross-bar 30 is wedge shaped, its sides being reversely inclined or curved. At the top of each end cross-har there is an inwardly inclined bearing lange 51 and at the top of the middle cross-bar is pref rably cored to reduce weight and the crossbars are cut away somewhat more at the center than is shown in Figs. 1-3, for the same purpose.

ln the.construct-ion of Figs. 6-8 transverse pins are secured by set screws inr bearings which are fastened to the rim and these 4pins project beyond the bearings to eng openings 36 in the sides of the The openings are circular in shape the rim, during which travel it will be noted that the shoes shift eiidwise on the rim, there is no liability oi" the shoes ever becoming clogged with dirt to such an extent that they will not be properly presented to the ground under any ordinary conditions. very impertant feature ot my invention and particularly because ot the simple manner in which the result is accomplished.

` It has also been 'liound in the practical use of the invention that it eliminates slippage ot the wneel,-so iar can be observed with the eye. This is also important because it is a tact, although it may appear extraordinary, that in a days plowing the loss of distance due to slippage will be considerable, in tact it may exceed ten percent. This also involves a loss of fuel and time, besides the wear and tear on the machinery. Tractors equipped with niy invention have been carefully watched on soit and on hard ground and on turft and no evidence oi any material slippage has been observed. When it is understood that a tractor wheel with cleats or spurs will lshow slippage so plainly to the eye that critical examination is not necessary, and will shift the ground between cleats or spurs laterally in clods, the importance ot my invention will be better appreciated.

Furthermore, the weight carried by the wheel is distributed over a considerable area, as indicated by the size ot the shoe, I and hence plowed ground will not be packed as it is with wheels equipped with cleats or lugs'. This is also an important ieature ot the invention since packing sott ground will retard the growth of grain and other crops.

I am aware that changes in the torni and proportion and arrangement o'j parts of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages tliereoiz and l therefore reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly tall within the scope of the following claims.

l claim:

l. A traction shoe tor attachment to the rim ot a wheel and having a plurality of transverse ground engaging bars with openings between each pair of bars extending through the shoe from top to bottom thereof.

2. A traction shoe for attachment to the riin or a wheel and having two sides spaced Y anart and higher at the middle than at their ends to embrace the rim, and a plurality ot transverse ground engaging bars connecting said sides and spaced apartto torni openings between tl e sides and bars extending through the shoe from top to bottom thereof.

3. A. traction shoe ior attachment to the rim oi' a wheel and having two sides spaced apart and having openings therebetween eX- tending through the shoe from top to bottoni thereof, oppositely disposed inwardly directed flanges on said sides to .torni a This is a' track for the rim, and transverse ground engaging bars spaced apart and connecting said sides.

a'. A traction shoe tor attachment to the rini ot a wheel and having two sides spacedv apart, oppositely disposed flanges on the' lportions of said bars being parallel with each other and perpendicular to the sides, there being openings between the bars and flanges extending through the shoe from top to bottom thereol. y y

6. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim oli a wheel and havii'ig two sides spaced apart, and transverse ground engaging bars connecting said sides at their ends to sup-` port the slice latwise on the ground7 andy said bars being cut away betweenV their ends.

7. ifi traction slice for attachment to the rim ot a wheel and having transverse ground engaging bars at its ends and inwardly inclined bearing surfaces at the top of said bars.

8. A traction shoe ior attachment to the rim ot a wheel and having a plurality or' transverse ground engaging bars comprising an intermediate bar having oppositely inclined beanng surfaces at the top thereof.

l). A. traction shoe tor attachment to the rim ot a wheel and having a plurality of transiferse ground engaging bars, there being an inwardly inclined bearing surface at the top ot each end bar and oppositely inclined bearing suriaces at the top of the intermediate bar.

i0. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having transverse end bars and an intermediate bai' spaced apart with openings therebetween, and-sides connecting said bars7 said sides being recessed between the ends of the bars.

l1. A traction shoe for attachment to the i'ini of a wheel and having two sides, a plurality of transverse ground engagingy menibers., al hook on one side oit Ythe shoe to engage the rim7 and cooperating means on the other side of the shoe to secure the shoe to the i'ini and limit .its movement relative to the rim7 said hooli and means beingl spaced from said transverse members to permit a considerable freedom of movement of they shoe relative to the rim.

l2. traction shoe for attachment to the rim ci a wheel and having two sides. a plurality ot transverse ground engaging members, one ot said sides being provided Lez-se with a hook to engage the rim adjzutent one edge thereof and the other side having an openingtherein, and a bolt in said opening to overlap the rim adjacent the other edge thereof, said hoolr and bolt being spaced from the transverse members to pern mit a considerable freedom of moi/'erneut of the shoe relative to the rim.

13. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a Wheel and hav/'ing` two sides, a plurality of transverse ground engaging members7 a hook on one side spaced from said members to loosely engage the rim, an upstanding lug on the other side and hav'i 'P a transverse opening spaced like the hool from said members, and a horizontally disposed securing holt in said opening to en gage the back of the rim.

14. A skeleton traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a Wheel and having flanges to form a tracli adapted to be eng'aged by the outer surface of the rim and having means atv its sides lio engage the inner surface of the rim for securing the shoe on the rim.

15. A traction shoe for attachment 'to the rim of a Wheel. and having lon-- gitudinally extending inwardly directed flanges at each side thereof 'to form a track to be engaged by the outer surface of the rim and having openings therebetween.

16. The combination with the rim cfa wheel, of a traction shoe having longitudinally extending flanges at each side thereof to form a track to be engaged by the outer surface of the rinoT vand means carried by said shoe at the sides thereoi to project over the back of the rim for securing the shoe in place on the rim at the edges thereof. y

17. The combination with the rim of a Wheel, of a traction shoe having a pair of sides spaced apart and adapted to project inwardly of the rim adjacent lthe side edges thereof, inwardly directed flanges ony said sides to form a track for the rim, a plurality of transverse ground engaging bars connecting said sides and adapted to support the shoe flativise on the ground, and cooperating means on said si(J the rim to secure the shoe on the rim and to permit a certain freedom of movement of the shoe relative' to the rim.

18. The combination with the yrim of a Wheel, of teeth fastened on. the outer surface of the rim.1 traction shoe having a plurality of transverse ground engaging bars With intermediate openings to receive said teeth, and means for loosely engaging the shoe with the rim.

19. The combination with the rim of a Wheel, of a pair of double pronged teeth secured on the outer surface of the rim in spaced relation, a shoe having transverse ies to engage ground engaging bars with openings therebetween to receive the teeth, and means for loosely engaging the slices on the rim.

20. The combination with Athe rim of a wheel, of a plurality' of teeth having slopingsides secured on the outer surface of the rim in spaced relation7 and a traction shoe having a plurality of transverse ground engaging hars with openings therebetween to receive the teeth, the surfaces of the bars disposed in adjacent relation to said teeth being inclined, and means for securing` the shoe loosely on the rim.-

21. The combination with the rim of a Wheel, of a traction shoe having openings therein7 means for securing the shoe movablyon the rinn and teeth on the rim projecting through said openings yand cooperating With said means to retain the shoe in position on the rim.l

22. The combination with the rim of a Wheel, of teeth onthe outer face of the rim, and a traction shoe (3o-operatively engaged with said teeth and having means to engage the bach of the rim to loosely mount the shoe on the rim so that it may have a freedom of bodily movement radially or peripherally of the wheel Within limits determined by said teeth land said means.

23. 'lfhe combination with the rim of a Wheel, of a traction shoe having a pair of openings extending entirely through the shoe ti om top to bottom thereof and `ground bars to support the shoe flativise on the ground, said bars being spaced apart lenLU `thvvise' of the shoe and said openings being located between said bars with one of said hars sejgiarating said openingsj means for loosely mounting said shoe on the rim7 Vand a pair of teeth on the outer face of the rim operatively disposed in said openings.

24:. rllhe combination With the rim of a uflieeh of a plurality of traction shoesv means on theshoes for engaging the hack of the rim to loosely mount the shoes onthe rim so that they ma freely move bodily radially of the rim and freely tilt on the rim by gravity as the wheel revolves, and means on the face of the rim for limiting the movenient of the shoes.

25. A. traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a Wheel and having a plurality of straight parallel and comparatively thin ground engaging hars with openings between each pair of bars extending through the shoe from top to bottom thereof.

26. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a. Wheel and having a plurality of straight parallel and connyaratively thin ground engaging bars with openings be tween each pair of hars extending through the shoe from top to bottom thereof, and hearingsurfaces at the top of said bars.

27. The combination with the rim of a Wheel5 of a traction shoe having a plurality olt transverse ground engaging hars with openings hetveen euch pair of here extending; through the shoe from top to bottoni thereof, means for loosely mounting,` the. shoe on the rire, and teeth the tace ot the riin engaging seid openings.

2S. rlhe combination with the riin of a wheel, of a traction shoe having a, plurality of sti-aight parallel und comparatively thin 2gfround engaging hers with openings hetiveen eeeh pair of hars extending through the shoe from top to bottoni thereof, nieans for loosely mounting; the shoe on the rim, and teeth on the outer :tace or the rini engaging said openings. n

29. rlhe combination with the rim of e wheel, of e traction shoe having :i plurality of 'iiensverse ground engaging hers with oneni es hetvieen each inni ot hars ef;-

tending through the shoe from top to bottom thereof, ineans loosely mounting;w the shoe on the rin'i, hearing surfaces et the edges oi seidopenings, and teeth on the rini engaginn' said hearing; surface.

30. The combination with the rini o a Wheel, of af plurality or traction shoes mounted loosely end to end thereon and each having tivo ground engaging bers end en opening` extending through the shoe, and a tooth on the riin engaging said opening to permit u eonsiderehle freedom oi nioxi'einent of the shoe relative to the riin, but limiting; the inovexnent ot the shoe so that it will always he hold Within certain lined limits and prevented from overlapping; adjacent shoes.

3l. The combination of e traction Wheel rim, plurality of teeth secured to said rim, each tooth having converging Working faces extending outwardly Jroin the rim, a plurality of traction slices, each heivingan opening therethrough to receive one of said teeth, and inclined Working faces to cooperate with said converging faces, and means for vloosely connecting said shoes to the rim.

32. The combina-tion with the rim of e whee e tooth fastened to the outer surface of the riin, a tuction shoe having an openine' therethrough to receive said tooth, eind ineens for loose-ly engaging the shoe with the rin 33. rEhe coinhinzition with the i'iin olif ai Wheel, of a plurality of teeth havin@ sloping; sides secured on the outer face of tne rim in spaced relation, plurality o'l traction shoes eac-h having' en opening therein to receive one of said teeth, the surfaces of seid shoes .cent to the slopingu sides of the teeth heineT inclined, and means for securing,` the shoes loosely on the rini.

The conhinution 'with the riin of zi Wheel, a tooth fastened to the outer surface oit Vthe riin, atrection shoe having an openingl therethrough to receive said tooth and means for loosfly engaging the shoe with the riin including' 'Iizinees on said traction shoe extending inwardly on each side or said rim.

ln e traction Wheel, e rim, a tread shoe loosely mounted thereon, and a riin element projectine; through seid shoe.

36. ln u tract on Wheel, a rim, :i shoe loosely mounted on the outer periphery of sind rini end having u trend portion, and a rini eleinent projecting outwardly through the shoe sind lieyon d the treed portion of said shoe.

37. ln e traction Wheel, :t rim, a tread shoe, outwardly extending elements on seid 'orojecting` through said shoe, outwardly innig; elements on seid shoe, and, ineens or loosely mounting said shoe on said rim so that said riin elements are adjacent said shoe elements and es the Wheel is rotated, seid shoe elements are projected and retracted relative to said rim elements.

LOUlS E. SLAUSON.

lllitnesses J. V. Nomrornu, M. l). E'r'rLo. 

